Easy To Use Patents Search & Patent Lawyer Directory

At Patents you can conduct a Patent Search, File a Patent Application, find a Patent Attorney, or search available technology through our Patent Exchange. Patents are available using simple keyword or date criteria. If you are looking to hire a patent attorney, you've come to the right place. Protect your idea and hire a patent lawyer.

A pocket door system for the suspension of a pocket door within an
entertainment cabinet or the like is shown with a rack and pinion guide
associated with each pocket door slide and a synchronization shaft for
transmittal of the actuation of one pocket door slide to the other, and
where the installation of the pocket door slide and rack and pinion guide
are integral to each other and also provide an improved alignment method.

1. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door within a cabinet, where
the pocket door can be moved reversibly between a retracted position to
an extended position, and where in the extended position the pocket door
may be further transitioned by rotation of the pocket door to a closed
position in relation to the cabinet front, compression; at least two
channel members attachable in spaced parallel relation to a sidewall of a
cabinet; a mounting place associated with each of said channel members,
where said mounting plate includes a mounting channel that slidably
engages said channel member; at least one hinge associated with each of
said mounting plate, where said hinge is oriented for compatible
attachments to a pocket door; at least one rack where each of said racks
is integrally mounted to the sidewall of a cabinet with the attachment of
each channel member to the sidewall; at least one pinion gear engageable
with each of said racks, where said pinion gear is rotatably connected to
said mounting plates by a shaft; a shaft interconnecting each of said
mounting plates; a ball bearing retainer interconnected between each of
said channel member and said mounting channel, where said ball bearing
retainer further includes a plurality of ball bearings that are disposed
between said channel member and said mounting channel to provide sliding
movement between said channel member and said mounting channel; and, a
shaft housing for mounting said shaft to the mounting plate.

2. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 1, where at
least two racks are integrateably mounted with each channel member.

3. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 1, where said
rack is trimmable to selective lengths.

4. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 1, where said
channel member further includes an alignment reference that compatibly
aligns with a corresponding alignment reference located on said rack.

5. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 2, where said
two racks are formed as one part.

6. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 1, where the
pocket door is reversibly detachable from said mounting plate.

7. A slide assembly for supporting a door attached to a sidewall, where
the door is moveable between a retracted position and an extended
position, comprising; at least two channel members attachable in spaced
parallel relation to the sidewall; a mounting plate associated with each
of said channel members, where said mounting plate includes a mounting
channel that slideably engages said channel member, and where the door is
attached to said mounting plate; at least one rack, where each of said
rack is integrally mounted to the sidewall with the attachment of each
channel member to the sidewall; a shaft interconnected with each of said
mounting plates; at least one pinion gear engageable with each of said
racks, and where each pinion gear is rotatably connected to said mounting
plate by the shaft; a ball bearing retainer interconnected between each
of said channel member and said mounting channel, where said ball bearing
retainer further includes a plurality of ball bearings that are disposed
between said channel member and said mounting channel to provide sliding
movement between said channel member and said mounting channel; and, a
shaft housing for mounting said shaft to the mounting plate.

8. A slide assembly for supporting a door as in claim 6, where at least
two racks are integrally mountable with each channel member.

9. A slide assembly for supporting a door as in claim 6, where said rack
is trimmable to selective lengths.

10. A slide assembly for supporting a door as in claim 6, where said
channel member further includes an alignment reference that compatibly
aligns with a corresponding alignment reference located on said rack.

11. A slide assembly for supporting a door as in claim 7, where said two
racks are formed as one part.

12. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door within a cabinet, where
the pocket door can be moved, in reversible fashion, between a retracted
position to an extended position, and where in the extended position the
pocket door may be further transitioned by rotation of the pocket door to
a closed position in relation to the cabinet front, comprising; at least
two channel members attachable in spaced parallel relation to a sidewall
of a cabinet; a mounting plate associated with each of said channel
members, where said mounting plate includes a mounting channel that
slideably engages said channel member; at least one hinge associated with
each of said mounting plate, where said hinge is oriented for compatible
attachment to a pocket door; at least one rack associated with each of
said channel members, where each such rack is in fixed spatial relation
to each of said channel members; a shaft interconnected with each of said
mounting plates; at least one pinion gear engageable with each of said
racks and where each such pinion gear is rotatably connected to said
mounting plates by the shaft; a ball bearing retainer interconnected
between each of said channel member and said mounting channel, where said
ball bearing retainer further includes a plurality of ball bearings that
are disposed between said channel member and said mounting channel to
provide sliding movement between said channel member and said mounting
channel; a shaft housing for mounting said shaft to the mounting plate,
where said shaft housing is alignable with each of other such shaft
housings associated with each of other such mounting plates and where
said shaft is simultaneously extendable through each of said shaft
housings and where said shaft is in transverse alignment with each of
said channel members.

13. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 11, where
said rack is integrally mountable to the sidewall of a cabinet with the
attachment of each channel member to the sidewall.

14. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 11, where at
least two racks are integrally mountable with each channel member.

15. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 12, where
said rack is trimmable to selective lengths.

16. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 13, where
said two racks are formed as one part.

17. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 15, where
said two racks formed as one part, are trimmable to selective lengths.

18. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 11, where
the pocket door is reversibly detachable from the mounting plate.

19. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door within a cabinet, where
the pocket door can be moved, in reversible fashion, between a retracted
position to an extended position, and where in the extended position the
pocket door may be further transitioned by rotation of the pocket door to
a closed position in relation to the cabinet front, comprising; at least
two channel members attachable to a sidewall of a cabinet; a mounting
plate associated with each of said channel members, where said mounting
plate includes a mounting channel that slideably engages said channel
member; at least one rack associated with each of said channel members; a
shaft interconnected with each of said mounting plate; at least one
pinion gear engageable with each of said racks and where each of such
pinion gear is rotatably connected to said mounting plates by the shaft;
a ball bearing retainer interconnected between each of said channel
member and said mounting channel, where said ball bearing retainer
further includes a plurality of ball bearings that are disposed between
said channel member and said mounting channel to provide sliding movement
between said channel member and said channel; a shaft housing for
mounting said shaft to the mounting plate; a reference point on each of
said channel members, and a corresponding reference point on each of said
racks, where each of said channel member reference point and said rack
reference point are alignable and in the aligned condition orient each of
said rack and said channel member combination in a selected spatial
relation, and where said channel members are in spaced parallel relation
to each other when installed on a sidewall of a cabinet and each of said
channel member is simultaneously alignable at the forward edge of the
sidewall of a cabinet, and where the combination of the alignment of said
racks with said channel member and the alignment of said channel members
results in an overall aligned state.

20. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 17, where
said shaft housing is alignable with each of other such shaft housings
associated with each of other such mounting plates and where said shaft
is simultaneously extendable through each of said shaft housings and
where said shaft is in transverse alignment with each of said channel
members.

21. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 17, where
said rack includes a web portion which said web portion contains said
rack reference point.

22. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 17 where at
least two racks are associated with each of said channel members.

23. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 20, where
said two racks are formed as one part.

24. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 21, where
said two racks are joined by a web portion.

25. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 22, where
said web portion contains said rack reference point.

26. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door within a cabinet, where
the pocket door can be moved, in reversible fashion, between a retracted
position to an extended position, and where in the extended position the
pocket door may be further transitioned by rotation of the pocket door to
a closed position in relation to the cabinet front, comprising; at least
two channel members attachable to a sidewall of a cabinet; a mounting
plate associated with each of said channel members, where said mounting
plate includes a mounting channel that slideably engages said channel
member; at least one rack associated with each of said channel members,
where each of said racks is integrally mountable to the sidewall of a
cabinet with the attachment of each channel member to the sidewall; a
shaft interconnected with each of said mounting plate; at least one
pinion gear engageable with each of said racks and where each of such
pinion gear is rotatably connected to said mounting plates by the shaft;
a ball bearing retainer interconnected between each of said channel
member and said mounting channel, where said ball bearing retainer
further includes a plurality of ball bearings that are disposed between
said channel member and said mounting channel to provide sliding movement
between said channel member and said mounting channel; a shaft housing
for mounting said shaft to the mounting plate; a reference point on each
of said channel members, and a corresponding reference point on each of
said racks, where each of said channel member reference point and said
rack reference point are alignable and in the aligned condition orient
each of said rack and said channel member combination in a selected
spatial relation, and where said channel members are in spaced parallel
relation to each other when installed on a sidewall of a cabinet and each
of said channel members is simultaneously alignable at the forward edge
of the sidewall of a cabinet, and where the combination of the alignment
of said racks with said channel members, and the alignment of said
channel members to each other such channel member, and the alignment of
each of said channel members results in an overall aligned state.

27. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 24, where
said shaft housing is alignable with each of other such shaft housings
associated with each of other such mounting plates and where said shaft
is simultaneously extendable through each of said shaft housings and
where said shaft is in transverse alignment with each of said channel
members.

28. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 24, where
said rack includes a web portion that contains a rack reference point.

29. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door as in claim 26 where
said rack web portion further includes spaced holes compatible with the
simultaneous mounting of the rack with the channel member to a sidewall
of a cabinet.

30. A slide assembly for supporting a pocket door within a cabinet, where
the pocket door can be moved, in reversible fashion, from a retracted
position to an extended position, and where in the extended position the
pocket door may be further transitioned by rotation of the pocket door to
a closed position in relation to the cabinet front, and where the slide
assembly included at least two channel members in spaced parallel
relation, a mounting plate associated with each of the channel members
and witch mounting plate is slideably engaged to each such channel
member, and where a rack guide is associated with each of the channel
members, and the mounting plates are interconnected by a shaft which also
has disposed about its length pinion gears for engagement of the rack
guides, the improvement thereof comprising the installation of at least
two racks with each channel member both of said racks being in spaced
parallel relation above and below each channel member, and with each
corresponding pinion gear engaging each such corresponding rack.

31. The slide assembly of claim 28, the improvement further comprising a
rack guide including two racks that are integrally formed and each rack
is interconnected by a web portion.

32. The slide assembly of claim 29, the improvement further comprising a
rack guide with a rack reference point and a channel member with a
channel reference point where the rack guide and the channel member are
in a specific aligned relation when said rack reference point and channel
reference point are each brought into alignment.

33. The slide assembly of claim 29, the improvement further comprising a
rack guide that is trimmable to selected lengths.

34. A method for installation of a pocket door slide assembly within a
cabinet and for the installation of a pocket door thereon, the method
comprising: selecting a length and height desired for a pocket drawer
slide assembly, where the pocket door slide assembly comprises a pocket
door slide including a channel member and a mounting plate slideably
engaged with the channel member and a shaft housing located on said
mounting plate, and at least one hinge mountable onto said mounting
plate, and at least one shaft compatible with the height selected for the
pocket door assembly, and a rack guide, where both the channel member and
the rack guide are compatible with the length selected for the pocket
door assembly; acquiring at least two said pocket drawer slides;
acquiring at least one of said shaft; acquiring at least a number of
pinion gears corresponding to the number of racks contained on each of
said rack guides, and where said pinion gears are reversibly fastenable
onto said shaft; combining and intermitting, at some point prior to the
fastening of a pocket door slide to the sidewall of a cabinet, a first
channel member and a first rack guide, where said first channel member
and said first rack guide can be compatibly aligned with respect to each
other in preparation for simultaneous mounting of both to the sidewall;
aligning said first channel member in the desired mounting position
relative to the forward edge of a cabinet sidewall; aligning said first
channel member in the desired mounting position relative to the selected
vertical location of the first channel member on the sidewall of a
cabinet; aligning said first channel member in the desired mounting
position relative to horizontal, inclusive of any pre-selected angular
compensation for correction of load deflection; fastening the combined
and interfitted first channel member and first rack guide to the sidewall
in the aligned mounting positions; transitioning said mounting plate by
slideable movement to a selected reference point on said first channel
member; repeating the above steps of combining and interfitting, and
aligning, for a second channel member and a second rack guide, and
further repeating same for each such additional channel member and each
such additional rack guide as required; mounting onto said shaft, one
pinion gear for each rack associated with each of said rack guides, and
placing each of said pinion gear in approximate alignment in
correspondence to the location of each of said racks in anticipation of
the installation of said shaft onto the mounting plates and in
anticipation of the engagement of said pinion gears with said racks;
mounting the shaft and the pinion gears disposed thereon, onto the
mounting plates; fixing the final aligned and engaged position of said
pinion gears relative to said corresponding racks; transitioning the
mounting plates and correspondingly the shaft and pinion gears, to a
forward point of travel of the mounting plates on the channel members;
attaching at the same point prior to the installation of the pocket door
onto the pocket door slide assembly, at least one hinge onto each of said
mounting plates and aligning the hinge with the desired installation
position on the pocket door; attaching the pocket door to the hinge.

[0002] The present invention relates to a suspension system for supporting
a cabinet door. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
door slide system for the support of a door in a closed position, and
allowing it to traverse to an open position, and thereafter, allowing it
to be retracted into a portion in a cabinet, in a state where it can be
retrieved and restored to the fully open position and then ultimately to
a closed position once again.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] In recent years, entertainment centers have become modified and, in
particular, one type of entertainment center has evolved into a fairly
common style of product. This particular type of entertainment center
comprises an upright cabinet that may be camouflaged by style and finish
to appear as though it were one of the existing pieces in a bedroom suite
or other related articles of furniture in a residence or a hotel.

[0005] This cabinet is typified by having a pair of large doors that
enclose an opening in the upper part of the cabinet area. These doors may
be opened and they would reveal a television set or a stereo system that
has been conveniently hidden from view until and unless it is desired to
be used. Many times, these cabinets are found in hotel rooms where they
conveniently combine a series of drawers within the same cabinet,
providing utilitarian storage as well as the provisions for the
entertainment center.

[0006] Because it has been found to be desirable to keep the components of
the entertainment center out of sight when not in use, the doors that are
found on such cabinets provide an important function of concealment. As
the design of this type of cabinetry evolved, it was not satisfactory to
have the doors merely hinged onto the sides of the cabinet walls since
they could rotate back into a semi-closed or fully closed position
obscuring the entertainment center.

[0007] As a result, suspension systems for hanging the doors that were
developed that allowed the doors to traverse into the interior of the
cabinet into a so-called "pocket" space in parallel alignment with the
cabinet walls. The suspension systems have typically been based upon the
usage of slide technology, notably precision slide technology, such as
those found in office furniture applications and the like. In the case of
the door applications, however, it is necessary to use a modified slide
in a way that allows the door to be mounted to a portion of a sliding
element, while at the same time allowing it to hinge when it reaches the
fully opened position. In this manner, the functionality of the
suspension system provides both an opening and closing relationship
relative to the door and the hinge, as well as a transitioning action
between a forward position and a rear position within the cabinet body.

[0008] These doors have now become known euphemistically as pocket doors
and the slide suspension system that supports them in these applications
has earned the moniker of pocket door slide.

[0009] A number of pocket door slide systems have been known in the prior
art, including the Accuride 1332/1432 version (U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,912)
which utilizes the components of the precision slides in the manner
described above. However, it also utilizes a cable system to keep the
door itself oriented correctly through all phases of the operation. The
tendency of the door to sag or to deflect has been a problem in the
industry, and the Accuride 1332/1432 is one attempt to solve this
problem. The deflection or sagging of the pocket door in the installation
has been exacerbated over time for the reason that the users of the
entertainment systems have sought to install larger and larger
componentry. This results in the need for a larger door, which brings
along with it additional weight as well as height and width, all of which
increases the loading on the pocket door slide tremendously. At present,
the desirably for increasing the load carrying capacity of the pocket
door slide appears to continue to increase over time and the solutions
that were brought forth previously by way of prior art are ill equipped
to handle this ever increasing problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A pocket door slide system, comprising at least a pair of
positioned door slides mountable onto the inner wall of a cabinet,
further including a mounting means for mounting a pocket door thereto and
oriented to provide translational movement from a rear position within
the cabinet to a forward position within the cabinet and also to provide
hinged rotation of the pocket door between an open position and a closed
position with respect to the cabinet front.

[0011] The pocket door slide system of the present invention further
includes a rack and pinion means which provides aligned orientation of
the pocket door mounted to the pocket door system, while at the same time
providing biased resistance to the loading experienced in pocket door
assemblies.

[0012] The rack means for the present invention also includes specially
perforated rack sections, allowing for convenient adjustment of the
length of the rack to fit the commonly available sizes of the pocket door
slide systems.

[0013] In addition, the pocket door slide system of the present invention
also has an alignment feature, whereby the pinion gears associated with
the mounting means and which guide the pocket door in the aligned
position are provided a zero start point to ensure that both components
of the pocket door system are positioned correctly.

[0014] It is an object of the present invention to provide a pocket door
system that is easy to install.

[0015] It is also an object of the present invention to provide a pocket
door system that is self-aligning in terms of the components.

[0016] It is an object of the present invention to provide a pocket door
system that has a robust character that resists the increasing loading
that is found in the pocket door applications of today.

[0017] These and other objects of the present invention will be explained
in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In the drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an entertainment cabinet,
housing a television set, and with one pocket door in the closed position
and one pocket door in a semi-open position.

[0020] FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view of the interior of an
entertainment cabinet showing a pocket door as mounted to the pocket door
system of the present invention and in the fully retracted position.

[0021] FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an
entertainment cabinet wherein the pocket door system is supporting a
pocket door in the fully extended forward position.

[0022] FIG. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an
entertainment cabinet with a pocket door system supporting a pocket door
in the fully extended position and in the closed position with respect to
the cabinet front.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a rear end view of a component of a pocket door system as
installed onto a cabinet wall.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an entertainment
cabinet in similar orientation as that shown in FIG. 2(b) showing in
detail one component of the pocket door system as installed.

[0025] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the rack used in the pocket
door system of the present invention

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] In accordance with FIG. 1, an entertainment cabinet 10 is shown
with pocket doors 12(a) and 12(b) and is housing in this instance a
television set 14. The entertainment cabinet is also shown with pocket
door 12(a) in the closed position, and with pocket door 12(b) in a
semi-open position, thus revealing the components inside the cabinet
itself.

[0027] Turning now to FIGS. 2(a)-2(c), the interior of the entertainment
cabinet 10 is shown with pocket door 12 in phantom. Also revealed is
cabinet wall 16.

[0028] In the application shown, pocket door slide 20 is shown as
installed both at the top portion and the rear portion of the cabinet
wall. Each pocket door slide is further comprised of channel member 22,
ball bearing retainer 24, and mounting plate 26. Located on the mounting
plate 26 is hinge base 28 which is engaged with door hinge 30.

[0029] As may be viewed in the figures in gross detail is rack and pinion
guide 40, which further comprises pinion gear 42 in close association
with access hole 44 and in association with rack 46. Also included as
part of the rack and pinion guide is the synchronization shaft 48, which
includes shaft ends 50 and which is mounted to the mounting plate by
means of pillow block type shaft housings 52.

[0030] As indicated in the description of the drawings, the FIGS.
2(a)-2(c) represent a progression of events commencing with the pocket
door in the fully retracted position, proceeding to a fully extended
position in FIG. 2(b) and ultimately to a closed position, as shown in
FIG. 2(c).

[0031] With reference to FIG. 3, components of the pocket door slide
assembly can be viewed such as the mounting plate channel 54, which is in
close cooperation with the ball retainer and channel member.

[0032] FIG. 4 displays more detail with respect to the componentry of the
present invention. FIG. 4 shows in detail one of the pocket door slides
with the channel member 22, the ball bearing retainer 24, the mounting
plate 26, the rack and pinion guide 40, the pinion gear 42, the access
holes 44, and the rack 46. Visible also is the rear stop 56, as well as
the channel member mounting holes 58.

[0033] Finally, turning to FIGS. 5 and 6, portion of the rack are shown in
much more detail, notably with the rack front 60 and the associated
mounting holes 62, and a number of break-offs 64. FIG. 6 represents the
opposite ends of the rack itself, with the rack rear 66 and with the
alignment post 68.

[0034] In operation, a pocket door is made mountable to the mounting plate
by using a conventional hinge assembly, commonly known as a "Euro-hinge."
These hinges have numerous advantages, including their three-way
adjustability and also the ability to remove the hinge door easily from
the application.

[0035] The pocket door slide itself is made mountable to the side wall of
a cabinet by means of screw fasteners. In order to do this, the channel
member 22 is inserted into the interior of the rack, as can be seen in
FIGS. 5 and 6, has a recessed area that is able to receive the profile of
the channel member 22. Simultaneously, the channel member has an
alignment hole 63, which is located at the rear of the channel member and
which compatibly mounts onto the alignment post 68. By bringing together
the channel member and the rack in this fashion, the two components are
aligned perfectly relative to each other, and as will be noted once the
forward portion of the channel member is located appropriately at the
face frame or front vertical edge of the cabinet, then both the lower
pocket door slide and an upper pocket door slide will be in alignment
with each other.

[0036] The two pocket door slides are connected by the synchronization
shaft 48. The shaft itself is retained by the shaft housings, located on
the mounting plate 26. Actuation of the pocket door in a forward to rear
or vice versa motion actuates the pinion as it travels along the rack.
This action is transferred rotatably to the synchronization shaft, which
communications the same actuation to the opposing pocket door slide. In
this fashion, neither pocket door slide is allowed to move independent
from the other, thereby fixing the pocket door slides in relationship to
each other.

[0037] As now may be appreciated, the concept of providing definitive
alignment between the rack, the channel member reduces the alignment
problems between one pocket door slide and the other to a simple question
of alignment in the installation of each relative to the cabinet wall. In
this regard, the face frame or front vertical case edge of the cabinet
operates as a guide with respect to the installation of the pocket door
slide, providing a common reference point from one pocket door slide to
the other, resulting in a coherent and aligned installation in a very
simplified manner.

[0038] Part of the benefits of associating the channel member within the
recess of the rack is the fact that the alignment issue is solved, but it
also simplifies the actual mounting of each to the cabinet wall. Since
the channel member mounting holes are in parallel orientation with the
mounting holes 62 in the rack, these may be brought together as one unit
and screwed into the cabinet wall once the desired position relative to
the face front has been established.

[0039] Another aspect to the present invention is the usage of the break
offs 64 at the front portion of the rack. These break offs are set at
predetermined lengths, consistent with the various sizes of pocket door
slide assemblies, such that only one mold need be made to produce the
rack and the resulting piece can be trimmed to fit the particular size
product being installed. This has the advantage of reducing the cost of
the plastic racks, while retaining all of the functionality as described
above.

[0040] The usage of what amounts to a double rack and double pinion for
each pocket door slide not only ensures that the actuation of the pocket
door will be transmitted precisely and accurately between two or more of
the pocket door slides, but it will also provide increased bias with
respect to the tendency of the pocket door to load the system, and to
sag. It is commonplace in the industry to install such systems with a
slight cant or angle in the range of a few degrees in order to compensate
for the deflection that is inherent in the components. However, beyond
this, the double rack approach for each pocket door slide provides enough
resistance to the continued loading so as to prevent any elastic
deformation of the overall system, leading to a poorly aligned door.

[0041] It should be understood that the pocket door slides of the present
invention could be ganged in multiples beyond the paired installation
shown in the drawings. The synchronization shaft 48 can be allowed to
extend above and below each pocket door slide, allowing multiple
installations to occur, which can be beneficial when an extraordinary
application is encountered. Special and custom installations where large
doors or very large loads are to be handled can be sized appropriately
and the advantages of the present invention allow that in such multiple
installations that alignment is ensured easily and accurately.

[0042] The embodiment disclosed within this application is meant to be
illustrative of the present invention and is not meant to be limiting in
any way with respect to its construction or its use in actual practice.